The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered notice to the State and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) on a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to declare the patta issued in favour of BHEL on the lands classified as Kudukudupai oorani and vaikkal in Tiruchi district as null and void.
A Division Bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and B. Pugalendhi was hearing the petition filed by M. Karthik of Tiruchi district. The petitioner said the lands situated in Navalpattu village at Thiruverambur taluk in Tiruchi district was classified as Kudukudupai oorani and vaikkal respectively.
He said around 392 acres of the land includes common temple, lands, well, vaikkal, waterbodies and other land classified as meikaal poromboke. Earlier these lands were used by the people for grazing cattle.
In 2010, BHEL installed check posts and the local residents were prevented from accessing the lands. The residents were not aware about the reason for the installation of the check posts. On the perusal of the online patta it has been revealed that the authorities passed an order transferring the government lands in the name of BHEL, he said, adding that issuing a patta in the name of the BHEL was illegal. He sought a direction to declare the patta issued in favour of BHEL as null and void. The court posted the matter for hearing to February 26.
Published – January 24, 2026 08:55 pm IST
